Friday, August 5, 2011

Review: The Braddock Boys: Travis by Kimberly Raye

Book Description:

He’s dying to taste her…

Lean, mean Travis Braddock is not your typical cowboy—he’s a brooding vampire searching for the killer who cost him his family, his future, his life. The last thing he needs is a woman he can’t resist. Then he met her…

Wedding planner Holly Simms is the perfect girl for a vampire on the move. Especially since she’s trying to ditch her "good-girl-lookin’-to-get-hitched" image. So Holly and Travis strike up a bargain—wickedly hot sex…with no strings attached!

But nothing prepared Travis for the possibility that there’s room for a love life in the afterlife…

Review:

As I mentioned in my contest post, I was amazed at how much I liked this book, not because I doubted the author or anything, but because I have never thought myself a fan of cowboys and the country scene. Vampires are yummy, and a favorite of mine, but cowboys have never really blipped on my radar...until now. Both the Braddock Boys and the Love at First Bite series lines were new to me, so I was reading this book without previous knowledge of the characters or the world. It wasn't a problem at all and I quickly caught on to what seems to be the underlying storyline that ties the books together. Someone named Rose betrayed the entire Braddock clan and the brothers want revenge, only along the way they fall in love with some really amazing women.

After reading about Travis and Holly it is a sure bet that I need to get my hands on all the previous titles and that I am now totally hooked on the vampire cowboy combination. Travis is a smokin' hot, horse training vampire that feeds off not only blood but sexual energy. He's a definite love 'em and leave 'em type of guy. Holly is a genius wedding planner that because of a few crappy relationships has resigned herself to planning the big day for everyone else in town, and being darn good at it too. Only deep down, she wants more. Holly is dying to let her inner sex kitten free which is exactly what she does the minute she meets Travis. And it just gets better and better.

As in any fast paced romance you have to suspend disbelief a bit so that the hurried timeline can be more easily accepted. Quickly falling in love is fine by me, if the writer takes the time to make you care about the characters and that the budding relationship is based off more than sex. And in a paranormal the mythology must be pretty solid because not only does the reader have to buy into the relationship, they also have to learn the lore. Kimberly Raye does an excellent job of creating a unique vampiric lore with believable characters, both human and vampire. I could easily see this fictional Texas town and I could easily see vampires being there as well. For example, horses are usually spooked by vampires, which might make the idea of Travis being a horse trainer unrealistic, right? Not so, because it is explained that Travis had an affinity for animals before he was turned and that ability carried over, only magnified, once he became a vampire. I appreciate when an author pays attention to all those types of details.

Another highpoint was the characters themselves. Travis may have been a wham bam kinda guy that jumps Holly's bones in a broom closet but he realized that was changing once he started to really get to know her. Yep, this couple actually grew to like each other, and respect each other, albeit hurriedly, and were friends before that L-word got tossed around. Holly is a nice girl that takes care of everyone else in her life first, including her elderly (and kooky) Aunt Tootie and she views Travis as a way to change her image. They both viewed sex as a no-strings business type arrangement, until it became more than that, and I loved how the story evolved. And let's just put this out there...the sex was hot, incredibly hot. Dare I say Blazin' hot. Sorry, couldn't resist. How could it not be with that gorgeous cowboy on the cover. Did you see that chest?

So if you haven't guessed by now, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading all the other books that belong in the series. And apparently I have a small thing for cowboys. Hmm, who knew?

Review Policy

We review all paranormal themed books, including but not limited to: YA, Children's books, Mystery, Thrillers, Romance, Urban Fantasy, comics and graphic novels. All vampire genre reviews are primarily posted on the VampChix blog, and may be re-posted here at Bite Club. All other paranormal books will be reviewed here at Bite Club.
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